Ascocenda Chao Phraya x Vascostylis Mishima Lime

[Bud]

Thank You for your wonderful comment, Cristiano. If ever this produces a keiki...I will give it to you... if your customs authority will allow me to send plants to your country.
The blooms are fragrant with spicy pine scent.
This is in S/H method of growing because my apartment is centrally air-conditioned and can dry any plant (that’s why I have humidifiers and fans) this grows in a south facing windowsill that produces bright light but not to burn the leaves...average temperature in the day is 80F and 60F at night...weekly weakly fertilizer and every two weeks it gets flushed under the sink faucet to get rid of debris and plant wastes
Read about this S/H method on Ray’s site:
First Rays' "Semi-Hydroponic - TM" Culture

[CR7cristiano]

haha of course you can ship it to me i'm a licensed importer. But hey a keiki is even easier. I can just come pick it up myself and put it in my bag

as for the method in which its potted, my gosh it looks very contemporary and almost as if it was made to fit in a NY apartment. Well as for the temp and conditions i know all too well about that as i have one up there; central air etc.
Awesome though. I am almost jealous right now.
I am curious as to how that potting method would do out here in Jamaica though.
I live up in the hills, i get great sun, great breeze, nice humid days often enough especially following rain. How it would do as a centerpiece in my house idk. I do have a couple dens, phals & cats inside as i have huge french windows facing east bringing a lot of light into my living room for the entire day up until i'd say 3pm or 4pm...longer during the summers.

I definitely want to try though. I also saw another post with these special vases that you have the vanda roots submerged in water in a vase with the neck wide enough to fit the orchid pot.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that Keiki!
By the way i feed my vandas every day 1/2 tbsp to a gallon and they loove it; but of course i know for you in winters its different. Here's a cool tip for you:
give your vandas epsom salt once a week similar measurments as the food. Does wonders for the overall health and strength of your orchid! Like its does for us with the magnesium it increases energy & stamina and makes it look as an entire plant better!

[Bud]

You need not do the S/H method in your grow zone...you have a lot of humidity in the atmosphere. You can even do a bareroot basket culture with vandas.
Wow...fertilizer everyday? I do weekly weakly with Algoflash and alternate it with seaweed mix...I will try the epson salt: but doesnt salt kill plants? When I was little I put kitchen salt on the daisies and my grandmother was livid.

[CR7cristiano]

Originally Posted by Bud

You need not do the S/H method in your grow zone...you have a lot of humidity in the atmosphere. You can even do a bareroot basket culture with vandas.
Wow...fertilizer everyday? I do weekly weakly with Algoflash and alternate it with seaweed mix...I will try the epson salt: but doesnt salt kill plants? When I was little I put kitchen salt on the daisies and my grandmother was livid.

Well i already have all my hanging vandas in baskets outside and the semiterete ones i have in puts with river rocks

Epsom salt diluted in water about a teaspoon to a gallon of water does wonders. Epsom salt is great for both humans and plants alike. Epsom has magnesium, magnesium is great for many reasons:

Epsom salt has beneficial properties that can soothe the body, mind and soul. Some of the countless health benefits include relaxing the nervous system, curing skin problems, soothing back pain and aching limbs, easing muscle strain, healing cuts, treating cold and congestion, and drawing toxins from the body. One of the simplest ways to ease stress and stress-related problems is to soak in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Epsom Salt.
Research shows that magnesium also increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy packets made in the cells. Experts believe that bathing with Epsom salt at least three times a week helps you to look better, feel better and gain more energy. Magnesium ions also relax and reduce irritability by lowering the effects of adrenaline. They lower blood pressure, create a relaxed feeling, improve sleep and concentration, and help muscles and nerves to function properly.

So as they say with orchids, they love what we love. It works man look at my mokara, not to mention one of my Vanda Hybrids the blooms have a 4 inch diameter the size of my palm if not bigger! I'm 6'8

[Bud]

I remember my coach in HS after rowing at the regatta practice always gives us Epsum salt to take home for our baths to soothe our muscles after a very thorough massage.

[CR7cristiano]

Yep there u go. Epsom salt. Not regular table salt. Shame on you with your gram's daisies

[Gage]

Bud, I love seeing your ascocenda in s/h! People need to see that there are a lot of different ways to grow orchids, especially vanda type. Thanks!

[Bud]

Very kind of you, Gage...yes, I grow my vandas in bareroot basket lined with coconut fibers...the cold type(coerulea) in vase culture, I have some potted in coarse media ...and this is on S/H
Seven years ago, I had a vanda phase and I was lucky to have learned the culture on my windowsill that enabled me to care for them well

[flexdc]

Hey Bud, I love Vandacious orchids but the daily watering is just a hassle, so I would like to try your S/H method. Seems like you drill a hole 1/4 way up from the bottom and then just add water, using clay palettes am I correct? When you first put the plant in do any of the roots touch water?

And how often do you flush out the water? Weekly? What do you feed the plant with?

Thank you kindly,
Andrew

[Bud]

Andrew, I learned this method from Ray
First Rays' "Semi-Hydroponic - TM" Culture
when I was still a member of that other forum.
Its best to read the method thoroughly so you will have the correct and proper way.
Otherwise its best you ask Ray the questions, since my interpretation of it is adjusted to my grow zone, stats(temp of my room south facing window, humidity and air flow) and the kind of vanda specie
I do a weakly weekly fertilizer regimen of Algoflash(one capful to a gallon ratio) alternating with seaweed mix(a capful to a gallon ratio)

I flush the container under a sink full throttle water flow from the faucet of my sink with tepid water for 5 to 10 minutes to remove the plant debris and some wastes...twice a month...or if the algae formation is heavy...I flush it sooner to clean the whole set-up

on the first few months the roots of the vanda must not touch water or feel cold(a heat mat in winter is needed)...until the roots grow down touching the water then I add more water to the vessel (I use a bigger taller bowl that contains more water=in the picture))